Erica McDonald April 27, 2009

Erica McDonald is a New York based photographer who was born in Ohio and raised in Massachusetts. Her degree from New York University is in Linguistics and Art History, and she has additional studies in Printmaking. As a photographer, she is largely self taught, taking inspiration from a myriad of photographers such as Penn, Koudelka, Fink and Arbus. She is currently working on a long term piece about a changing neighborhood in Brooklyn. Erica loves dogs, large and small alike. She is the recipient of a Keyholder Fellowship at the Lower East Side Printshop, and her work has been exhibited in Chelsea and by powerHouse, the Camera Club of New York, the Brooklyn Arts Council and has been included in projections at LOOK3, Palm Springs Photo Festival and the Slideluck Potshow. Awards and nominations include IPA/Lucies, PX3, WIP, The New York Photo Awards and the Magnum Cultural Foundation.

About the photograph:

“The image of the Parachute Jump defunct amusement ride is part of a series on an adult home in Coney Island, New York. The home, Surf Manor, is one of 65 private institutions licensed by the state and have become “de facto repositories for people who have psychiatric disorders”. A great many of the residents are capable of living independently, and they are pressing the government to provide what is known as supportive housing. This would create an option that would meet the residents’ needs by providing assistance while allowing them to be responsible for their own daily lives. A lawsuit charging that the state has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing more appropriate housing for this population will be tried later this year.”

About...

Photographer and photo editor Geoffrey Hiller has created Verve Photo to feature photographs and interviews by the finest contemporary image makers today. Verve Photo is a reminder of the power of the still image. Verve Photo will also point you to new photo agencies, publications, and inspiring multimedia projects.